Navajo Santa strives to enhance the lives of indigenous peoples. We acknowledge and support the strengths and the needs of the Navajo people in and around the Utah strip communities through the spirit of giving while fostering trust and respect between cultures.

We provide this support with four distinct programs:

NAVAJO SANTA FAMILY DELIVERY
A delivery of gifts to families in need across the Utah strip. Traditionally this program has always been held the first weekend of each December.

NAVAJO SANTA GOES TO SCHOOL
Each year an elementary school is identified to provide students with warm coats, back to school items, eye examinations, dental hygiene kits and dental education.

NAVAJO SANTA SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS
We've expanded our operations to include sustainable projects. Such as playgrounds, water tanks, community tools like trailers and more...

We are very fortunate to have many dear supporters without whose generousity we could not have made these many years of Christmas giving possible—thank you!

NEWS

Boys sporting their new sweatshirts.

Navajo Santa School Delivery and Family Interviews
September 5-6, 2014

Navajo Santa board members and volunteer "elves" distributed backpacks, school supplies and
school logoed sweatshirts to 246 students in grades K-6 at the Montezuma Creek Elementary
School on September 5, 2014. Elves Marty and Darrell Thomas provided dental hygiene kits
and an entertaining presentation on dental care. A check for $5,000 was presented to
Alvina Tsotsie, a counselor from Red Mesa High School. The check will be used to take Red
Mesa high school students on a field trip to Flagstaff, Arizona next spring. While in the area,
board members visited the Homer Dale Farm located at St. Christopher's Mission to observe
the progress on the garden and to see if they were using the tools, tool shed and outhouse
provided by Navajo Santa last December.

On day two, 18 families were interviewed for the December Family Delivery, most of whom
were elders. Representatives from the Chapter chose the families and served as guides and
interpreters for the interviews. A meeting was held with the director of the Navajo Mountain
Senior Center to discuss logistics and activities for a luncheon with the elders and their families
to coincide with the December family deliveries. In addition, donated building supplies to
construct two rain catchers were delivered. This was a very gratifying and productive weekend
thanks to the board members and elves who donated their time and hard work.

Kids lining up to get schools supplies and sweatshirts.

Navajo Santa Goes to Navajo Mountain High School
August 22, 2013

We were met at Navajo Mountain High School by Principal Gary Rock and Mart Rule, the principal of Naa Tsis'Aan Community School.
Sweatshirts and school supplies were given to the 35 students at NMHS and the 110 students at the Community School. We presented two guitars to the music teach at NMHS and gave checks in the amount of $10,000 to the schools. The largest check went to NMHS to fund a field trip to Salt Lake City in the spring.

Group shot of the band at the Museum

Whitehorse High School Visits Natural History Museum
April 4, 2013

Students from the Whitehorse High School band and their instructor/conductor Matthew Mcclellan presented a concert at the Natural History Museum of Utah on April 4, 2013 as part of their field trip. The students had to meet certain academic requirements and be active participants in Band Level III in order to go on the trip. After the concert they toured the Natural History Museam that was featuring Weaving a Revolution: A Celebration of Contemporary Navajo Baskets exhibit which showcased 150 contemporary baskets from Navajo artists, many of whom the Whitehorse High School students knew of. The students were impressed to see their own culture portrayed in such a beautiful and sensitive way. Then they attended a high school band concert that evening. The next day they worked with several conductors in workshops, toured Abravanel Hall and the Opera Production Studio. They also went to Hogle Zoo. They were very excited and grateful for this opportunity as we were to have them as Navajo Santa's guests. Special thanks to Paul Michael Maxfield and the staff at the Museum of Natural History for making this event such a success.

The group enjoying a Jazz game while in town.

Monument Valley High School Visits Natural History Museum
April 1, 2013

Monument Valley High School drove to Salt Lake from Monument Valley, Utah to visit the Natural History Museum of Utah on March 25th. They viewed the exhibit Weaving a Revolution: A Celebration of Contemporary Navajo Baskets that included a basket demonstration by one of the artists Anderson Black. Baskets in this exhibit are woven by artists mostly in the Monument Valley area so it was very exciting for the students. After touring the rest of the museum and enjoying a box lunch students were off to Gateway and City Creek malls to explore. That evening they enjoyed a Jazz basketball game.